The Fabulous Life Of Tech Billionaire Marc Benioff (CRM)

He helped invent a a whole new category of tech called "software-as-a-service," where companies rent their software over the Internet, instead of install it on computers.

The concept almost died at birth. Shortly after Salesforce.com launched, the Internet bubble burst.

Benioff persisted, however, and today every major software company is chasing him.

Along the way, Benioff has become one of the most flamboyant, generous, larger-than-life personalities in the tech industry.

He's a self-made billionaire

He's worth about $2.71 billion, according to Forbes. Most of that wealth comes from the company he founded, Salesforce.com, where he is CEO.

But his initial wealth came from running sales and marketing during Oracle's early days, from 1986-1999. He was making $300,000 a year at Oracle by age 26, according to CNN Money.

He owns a 5-acre estate in Hawaii

Benioff famously built a huge compound on the island of Hawaii, the state's largest island. It has six bedrooms, seven full and two half bathrooms, and 9,821 square feet of interior space, according to Honolulu Magazine.

He reportedly bought the land for $12.5 million in 2000 and spent years designing it, even launching his own construction company to build it, reported the Wall Street Journal back in 2006.

He loves Hawaii so much, he used to wear Hawaiian shirts to work. He signs his emails and annual report "aloha," and named his golden retriever "Koa" after a type of Hawaiian tree. Koa has a job title at Salesforce, too: the CLO (chief love officer).

His friends include everyone from Deepak Chopra to Stevie Wonder

Benioff is a new-age guy who loves yoga and meditation. But he also lives the life of a rock star.

When he threw a fund-raiser for President Obama at his San Francisco home, his friend Steve Wonder wrote a special song and sang it at the party, USA Today reported at the time.

Benioff was also invited to Deepak Chopra's daughter's wedding.

He lives in a beautiful San Francisco home

Benioff chose San Francisco as the headquarters for Salesforce.com, and he's been a huge advocate for the city ever since.

He donates to charitable causes in the city, and he speaks out against the unfair housing practices that have been fueling the S.F. tech unrest.

He currently lives in the historic Presidio neighborhood, but has owned homes throughout the city, including a 15,858-square-foot house bought for $27 million in 2005, according to the Wall Street Journal.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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